Liquid-measuring machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) V

T. E. MATHER.

A LIQUID MEASURING MACHINE.

Patented Sept. 14,1897.

Nrrn rn'rns Artnr muon.

LIQUID-MEAsUaiNo. MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 590,109, dated September 14, 1897'.

l Application filed .Tuly l0, 1896. Serial No. 598,701. (No model.)

T0 all whom t 71u14/ {fo/1.001%:

Be it known that I, 'lHoMAs E. MATHER, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Minnewaukon, inthe county of Benson and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Measuring Machines; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved apparatus for measuring liquids.

To this end my invention comprises the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The preferred form of myinvention is illustrated` in the accompanying drawings, wherein, like letters referring to like parts throughout the several views- Figure l is a View in rear elevation, showing the preferred form of my invention, the measuring device being turned into its upright position. Fig. 2 is a view in left side elevation, showing the device illustrated in Fig. 1, the parts thereof being shown in the same position. Fig. 3 is a view in right side elevation, showing the measuring device turned downward into its horizontal orfilling position. Fig. 4. is a vertical transverse section taken substantially ou` the line x4 004er' Fig. 2, some parts being broken away. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line m5 m5 of Fig. l, showing the stem of the measuring device turned into its upright position, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. G is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 5, but showing the stem of the measuring device turned into its horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 2.

a indicates a'bracket or base support, which is rigidly secured to the floor and is provided with pipe `seats 4or boxes cd, Ithe right-side member of which is formed with a latch-sector a2. lThe delivery end Vof a horizontallydisposed liquid-supply pipe h is rigidly secured in the pipe-seats e by means of a setscrew d3, which works through the right member of said seats a and impinges upon the right-side end of said pipe b. It will be noted that the eXtreme right end of the pipe l) is a projecting lever or arm cs. p

of each of the levers orarms cS are connected closed or plugged. The front face of the pipe b is provided with a longitudinal slot or elongated discharge-passage b'. Just to` the right of this passage hl the pipe b is provided with a xed collar h2, and just to the left of said slot the pipe b is provided with an adjustable screw-threaded collar or nut b3.

Pivoted on the pipe b, between the collar h2 and nut b3, is the hub of a recessed head c, which is provided with a port or laterallyelongated slot c' of 'substantially the same dimensions as the slot Z2 of the pipe b. Vhen this head c is turned into its horizontal position, as indicated in Fig. 6,`the slots b and c will be brought into registration with each other, but when said head c is turned into an upright position, as shown in Fig. 5, said slots Z9' and c will be turned away from eachother, and both will thereby be closed.A Into the cavity of the head c, in line with the port or slot c', is screw-threaded the lower end of a pipe or hollow stem o2. This pipe c2 extends through and is secured to the interior of a series of measuring vessels c3. As shown, the extreme free end of the pipe c2 is rigidly secured to and is closed by the top plate of the upper member of the vessels c3. Within the vessels e3 the pipe c2 is perforated, as shown at c4, thus throwing all of said vessels into communication with each other.

It will be noted that all of the vessels c3 are provided with hopper-like bottoms and that they all project forward from the pipe or stem c2. Hence when the measuring device is turned into its horizontal position., as shown in Fig. 3, the vessels c3 will be .filled by the action of gravity, while when turned upright, as shown in Figs. l and 2, their contents may be readily drawn off under the action of gravity. The lower portions ofthe conical bottoms of each of the vessels c3 are connected by means of stub-pipes c5` with a common discharge-pipe c6, which is disposed substantially parallel to the shaft or stem c2 on the rear side of the same. In each of these stub-pipes c5 is a valve c7, provided with The free ends by means of iiexible connections c9 to a fixed bracket d, which is rigidly secured to and rises from the standard or base bracket a. The length of the connections e9 and the lo- IOO cationof their points of attachment to the bracket b are such that when the measuring device is turned into its horizontal or filling position (indicated in Fig. all of the said connections will be drawn taut and the valves o7 will be so turned as to close the passages in the stub-pipes c5.

The portions of the measuring vessel c3, which in the horizontal or Jfilling position of the measuring device are the highest from the ground or floor,are also in communication through a small air-pipe f, the branches f of which open one into each of said vessels. This pipe f. with its branches fQ are of course carried with the vessel c3 and pipe c2. It' desired, the pipe f may be provided near its upper end with a glass gage or sighting-tube f2. The eXtreme lower end of the pipefis connected by means of a flexible hose f3 with the lower end of a small vertically-disposed and rigidly-secured air-pipe f 4, the lower end ot' which is secured to the bracket d by means of keepers d. In case the oil or other liquid is fed to the pipe l) by the action of gravity the air-pipe f4 should extend to an altitude above the supply-tank. In the lower end of the Iair-pipe f is a valve f5which is provided with an arm f6, the free end of which is connected by means of a iight rod f7 to a lug a4, which projects forward from the base a. The relations of the valve f5, arm f6, and rod f7 are such that when the measuring device stands in its upright position, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the valve f5 will close said airpipe f, but when the measuring device is turned downward into its filling position said valve f5 will be so turned as to open the passage in said pipe f. In the upper head of the uppermost member of the measuring vessel ci" is an air-discharge nipple g, which is provided with a valve g@ to the stem of which is rigidly secured a lever or arm g2, the free end of which is connected by means of a light rod g3 to a portion of the lug d4. The relations of the valve g', arm g2, and connecting-rod g3 are such that when the measuring device is turned into its upright position, as shown in Figs. l and 2, said valve g' will open the passage in the nipple g, but when the measuring device is turned into its filling position (indicated in Fig. 3) the said valve g will close the passage in said nipple g.

The measuring device is readily moved from one position to another by taking hold ot a handpiece 7a, secured to the upper inember of the measuring vessels c3.

7c indicates a latch-bracket, which is secured on the lower end of the pipe or hollow stem and has a hub portion 752, which works loosely on the pipe b. A spring-held latchdog 7c3 is mounted on and carried by this bracket 7e. This latch-dog 7c3 is adapted for engagement with either one of a pair of notches formed in the latch-segment d2, and

thereby to hold the measuring device either in its horizontal or vertical position, according to which notch is engaged. The dog r3 is released from the notches of the latch-arch a2 by means of a fingerpiece 7a4, which is pivoted to the under side'of the handpiece 7e and connected by means of a light rod 7.35 to the free end of said dog 7c3.

k6 indicates a coiled spring one end of which is secured to the pipe b and the other to the head c.

The operation and use of the apparatus is substantially as follows: The measuring device being turned into its horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, the valve c7 will close the stub-pipe c5, the valvev g will close the passage in the nipple C and the valve f5 willopen the passage in the air-escape pipe f. As the slots or passages b and c' of the pipe ZJ and head c, respectively, are now in registration, the oil or other liquid will, under the action of gravity or pressure applied to the source of supply, flow through the hollow stem or pipe c2 and iill the measuring vessel c3. ,D uring this iilling action the air previously contained in the vessel c3 iinds a ready escape through the pipe f, hose f 3,and stand-pipe f4. When the measuring device is moved into its vertical position, the' valve f5 will close the passage in the air-pipe fand the valve g will open the passage in the air-supply nipple g, but the valves f7 will still close the stub-pipes After first placing the vessel which is to be filled under the lower end of the dischargepipe c6 the desired amount of liquid may be drawn oft from the measuring vessels by the Jfollowing manipulation of the valves c7 and levers cs: Let it be assumedthat the three uppermost measuring vessels c3 will contain each one gallon, while the lowermost member will contain two gallons. Now if the uppermost valve c7 is opened the upper member of the'vessels c3 will be emptied, and hence one gallon will be drawn oit. 1f, however, without moving this uppermost member of the valves c7 the next lower valve c7 is opened, the contents of both of the upper members of the vessels c3 will be emptied and two gallons of the liquid will be drawn off. This is due to the fact of course that the vessels c3 are always in communication with each other through the perforated pipe c2. A gain,if Without opening any other of the valves c7 the lowermost member of said valves is opened all of the vessels c3 will be emptied and five gallons of oil will be drawn ott.

It will thus beseen that by providing the proper number and proper sizes of measuring vessels any desired amount of liquid may by the propercombinations of the same be measured and drawn off. The tension of the spring 7o is in a direction which tends to raise the device into the position shown in Figs. l and 2. This spring therefore assists the operator to lift the loaded measuring vessels and serves also to prevent the same from falling too rapidly if released by the operator while in an intermediate position.

It will be understood, of course, that various alterations in the details of construction IOO IIO

of the apparatus above described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will be understood that the terms in communication with eachother and adapt- Ved to be opened to a common dischargetube, as used in certain of the claims, are used in a broad sense and are intended to include such connections whether made directly or by roundabout or indirect means; also, that while the apparatus is intended and especially adapted for measuring heavy liquidssuch as oilsmolasses, water, incr-yet that the same might be used for measuring all liquids and even other forms of liuids.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent of the United States, is as follows y tion with a common pipe or hollow stem, the

lower end of which stem is pivoted on said supply-pipe and provided with a port which,

in the horizontal position of the same, registers with the discharge-passage of said supply-pipe, substantially as described.

3. In a liquid-measuring apparatus, the combinationwith a supply-pipe provided with aliquid-discharge passage, of a hollow pipe or stem pivoted on said supply-pipe and provided with a port adapted to register with the discharge-passage of said supply-pipe in the horizontal position of said stem, a series of measuring vessels mounted on said stem and in communication therethrough, a series of branch discharge-pipes extending one from each of said vessels, valves in said branch pipes, and means for positively closing all of said valves by the downward pivotal movement of said pivoted stem.

4. In a liquidmeasuring apparatus, the combination with a supply-pipe provided with aliquid-discharge passage, a stem or pipe pivoted on said supply-pipe and provided with a port which in the horizontal position of said stem is adapted to register with the dischargepassage of said supply-pipe, a series of measuring vessels mounted on and in communication through said stem, a common dischargepipe, branch pipes extending from each of said vessels to said discharge-pipe, valves in said branch pipes provided with valve-arms, and flexible connections secured to said valvearms and to a fixed support, substantially as described.

In a liquid measuring apparatus, the combination with a supply-pipe provided with a discharge-passage, of a pipe or hollow stem pivoted on said supply-pipe and provided with a port which, in the horizontal position of said stem, registers with said supply-pipe` discharge-passage, a series of measuring vessels mounted on and in communication with said stem, an air-vent pipe opening from each of said vessels, a valve in said vent-pipe, connections which automatically close said valve when said pivotedfstem is turned upright, an air-inlet in the uppermost vessel, a valve in said air-inlet, and connections from said latter valve which automatically open the same when said hollow stem is turned into an upright position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. NATI-IER. Vitnesses:

Bessin B. NELSON, F. D. MERCHANT. 

